Compass relay transmitter



sept'. 9, 1924.

1,507,653 M. L. ZOBEL cMPA'ss RELAY TRANSMITTER Filed oct. 2o 1919 20 INVENTOR H IS ATTORNEY sept. 9.V 1924. 1,507,653

M. L. ZOBEL COMPASS RELAY TRANSMITTER Filed Oct. 20. 1919 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 /hsl'r Compass www;

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, readings of the master-compass to t e re- Patented Sept.r9, 1924.

- UNITED STATES y PATENT oFFIcE.

MAURICE L. ZOBEL, 0F ROSEBANK, NEW YORK, ASSIGINORA T0 THE SPERRY GYRO- SCGPE COMPANY, 0F BROOKLYN,'NEW YGRK, A CORI'ORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMPAS-S RELAY TRANSMITTER.

Application led October 20, 1919. Serial No. 331,379.

-fecting the repetition of the movements of an instrument such as a master or gyroscopic compass in the repeater Compasses or re control or other Instruments whlch. are

controlled in whole or in part by the master compass or sending instrument.

As is well known, itis the usual custom in master gyrovcompasses to rcause a constant relative movement back and forth to take lace between the compass card and the lu berring to keep the suspension bearing of the sensitive element always free from stickin so that it will yield to the slightest ten ency of the sensitive element to turn by reason of the directive force exerted by the oscope or gyroscopes. This constant relative movement of the compass card and lubber ring is termed the hunt or hunting as fully described in the U. S. .patent to Elmer A. Sperry.

1,300,890, dated April 151919, for naviga-A tional instrument. In transmittin the peater Compasses located in various parts of the ship, which comprises transmitting the relative positions and movements of the compass card and lubber ring oi' the master to the corresponding card and ring of each repeater, it Ais sometimes undesirable to transmit this .huntin movement of the master.. Also, where t e compass is used to control the positioning of certain parts of iire control instruments, it is necessary to eliminate the hunt from the movements transmitted.

" In existing relay transmitters, a system of sliding contacts is used, wherein a movable contact controlled b the relative movements of the compassca and lubber ring of the master compass moves normall back and forth across af narrow vstrip or ead contact v between two /live' contacts. The sliding of -the movable ,fcontact uponloneor the other ofthe saidf live contacts closes a circuit through one' or the other set o'fl'oppositely Wound coils of a motor to cause the latter to turn in one direction or the other according to which direction the master conipass card has turned with respect to the lubber ring. The movements of this motor are then transmitted to the cards of the repeater compasses. 'Ihe width of the dead contact or the space between the live contacts is such that so much of the movement of the. movable contact as represents the hunting movement of the master compass takes place between said live contacts without touching either thereof, so that no part of this motion is transmitted Ato the repeaters. But any relative movement of the compass card and lubber ring in excess of the unting movement in one direction or the other causes a corresponding excessive movement of the movable contact, causing the latter to engage one of the live contacts to eilect the proper actuation of the repeater Compasses.

Several inherent difficulties reside in this` type of relay transmitter, due in part to the wearing of the constantly moving sliding contacts and to the parts 'of the apparatus getting out of adjustment.

. The objects of the present invention are to produce an instrument for relaying the movements other than the hunt of the master compass to the repeater instruments, and in which sliding contacts are eliminated in favor of the more reliable make-and-break tvpe'of contact, and wherein the ne adjustments may be more readily and more reliablyeiiected.

A further object of the invention is to enable a single sending instrument to control a larger number of repeaters than has hitherto been-thought possible.

Referring to the drawings wherein I havey shown what I now consider to be the preerre'd form of my invention Fig. 1 is a plan view of the relay transmitter.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram showing the connections between the reversing contacts and reversible motor.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic detail' of electric contacts and actuating cams therefor:

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, partl in section, of a gyroscopic compass typ'igng the sending instrument used'for actuating the relay of this invention. Figs. 6, 7,'and 8 llO are details of fthe differential gearing shown in Fig; 1'. Fig.' Slis a wiring diagram showring supporting' the vspider 53. From said spider is suspendedgthe' follow-up. outer frame 54 and the sensitive element, so called,

comprising in this instance the vertical ring 55 and the gyro casing proper 56. In said vcasing is mounted on suitable bearings the electricallyl spun gyro wheel'vV Pairs of' contacts 58 and 59, 58y and 59 are provided between the sensitive .element andV the follow-11p supporti for. the purpose of causing said support to followthe movements of the element in azimutln Said contacts control the follow-up motor- 60v'which is 'geared to annular gear61 secured to the follow-up element. Also geared 'tosaid annular gear is y mer A. Sperry a step-by-step or' otherl suitable transmitter 62 adapted totransmit the compass readings throughsuitable repeating devices operated by step-by-,step or other repeater motors. Also mounted onsaid follow-up element is shown an eccentric cream ring 63 for the purpose of correcting the readings of the compass forchanges m heading of the ship, as fully explained in lthe U. S. patent to El- 1 255,480, Navigational instrument# dated February 5, 1918.- As heretofore explained in a gyroscopic compassofthe type illustrated the follow-up elementY is maintained in a constant state of oscillation' through-a small angle,.this being accomplished by an suitable means such as a relay (not shown v operating ,between thettntactsi 58 and 59 and the reversible meter :Ihe' repeater motor lof'my relay (Fig.

U '1) is adapted toy be actu-ated .from said stepthe transmitter. Said. transmitter may` be by-step transmitter 62. 'I "he poles 2 of the repeater motor are energlzed in a proper sequence by the closing of thecontacts of in all .respects similar to the transmitter 42 forming apart of my instrument and hereinafter described in detail.. The armature of the motorie shown as an unwound,'soft iron armature which itfw' understood' reproduces all movements o, thetransmitter' including the hunting action Qff'h. followup Asyste 1. f3. represents :the armature Y and 4. the .lildsgpf a motor-5."- Diierentally geared 11,9011. a Shaft@ are a pair einem* whreels.910.` The details of. construction of differential f a'reamore fully described hereafter. .Gear19 is shownmesliing with a gear 12 fixed on shaftA 13 of the repeater motor 1, While gear 10 meshes with an idler 14 whichmeshes with a pinion 6 fixed on the shaft 15 Aof motor 5. Fixed on shaft 8 is a.

- gear 16 meshing with teeth 17 formed 'part way around the circumference of a wheel 18 in turn xed on shaft 19 which also carries a pair of cams 20, 21.A These camsengage rollers 22,23l carried by resilient arms 24,

25 secured to 'a block 26, sothat rotation of shaft 19 withl said cams raises and lowers said rollers to open and close electrical nonfriction make-and-break contacts 28 29.l

As shown in the wiring diagram in Fig. '3. closure of contact 28 completes a circuit through field coils 30,31 of motor 5,- `while closure of Contact 29 completes a circuit through oppositely wound coils 32, 33 lso that the motor will be driven in one dir ection or the other depending vupon which' Contact is closed and-will remain idle when both sets of contacts are open.

Wheel 18 may be provided with: a projec.

tion 34 operating between a .pair of stops 35, 36 to-limit the extent of rotation of shaft 19 with cams 20, 21.

Meshing with idler 14 is .aigear 37 xed' on a shaft 38 .which carries a plurality of cams 39 engaging rollers 40 for 'thepurpose The operation of the device is as follows: l

Therepeater motor 1, whether, carried on.

the master gyropcompassjor at adistance therefrom, as for instance, on the-switch panel, isa'dapted to..follow 4all of the, movements of the'v4 master?r com ass card relative to the lubber ring, inclu ing the hunting oscillations, the' movement vcaused by .the

directive force of the gyroscope and the'rela'- tive-movement of the card and ring effected4 bythe reading correctores, as more speci cally set forth'inUnited. v States Letters-Pat.-

ent to Elmer A. Sperry, Nos.'1,255,480

February 5, 1918 and;1,300,890 datedApril 1 5, 1919.y The movements of. the repeater diffcrentialwheel 9,5and. because ci the .ref swung-torque .inrWl-,leel 10 causedby lita connection to motor 5, such movementsare motor; are transmitted-through gear Al2 to i ptimlcd ythrough Shaft Sand intermediate i trts to the cams' 20,.,.21.. One ,formf-,of

fiferential gearing operatin ibetweenlth'e gears 9 and 1,0.'is Shownin igs. ,6, 7,;-and 8,. Within gearQUad connected theretol is a smaller spur gear70, while within gear 1G and also .connectedthereto is a smallerspur gear 71. Both gears 9 and'1(),` it will .be

understood, are loosely .mounted on the shaft s.. -.Meshing with the gear 7o is a, pinionm, c 1.39

While a. pinion 73 meshes with said pinion.

and also with gear 71 (see Fig. 8). Both pinionsfare mounted in a frame or planetary arm 7 4 secured to rshaft 8. A duplicate pair of pinions 72 and 73 may also be provided on said arm if desired. It will be understood that any suitable form of. differential connection or gearing may be substituted for the type herein described.

From an examination of Fig. 4 it will be seen that rotation' of shaft 19 in a clockwise direction will cause roller 22 to ride from the top 20 of cam 20 down on to the side 20 thereof so that the upper point 28 of contact 28 will be lowered into engagement with point 28, etlecting the rotation of motor 5 in a givenA direction as previously pointed out. This rotation of motor 5 will then effect the rotation of member of the differential gearing in the opposite direction to the rotation of member 9 as caused by repeater motor 1. This will, of course, rotate shaft 19 in a counter-clockwise direction,- causing roller 22 to ride back upon the top 20 of the cam to open contact 28, deenergizing motor 5 so that it will stop. In the mean time, the turning of motor 5 will have actuated gear 37 and cams 39 of the transmitter 42 to cause actuation of the repeater instruments.

If, on the other hand, repeater motor 1 effects the rotation of shaft 19 in a counterclockwise direction, roller` 23 will ride down yupon the side 21'of cam 21 to close contact o 29 and cause motor 5 to turn in the opposite direction. This in turn will eect a rotation of member 10 in an opposite direction to return roller 23 to the 'top of cam 21, o ening contact 29 and stopping motor 5. otor 5 will in the mean time haveV rotated cams 39 in the opposite direction tothat in which it was previously rotated.

Obviously, the greater the gaps in contacts 28, 29 the farther must shaft 19 and cams 20, 21 rotate to effect the closure ofsaid contacts. Also, the lower arm 24 of each of l said contacts is rovided with a-tendency to bend downwar y, while screws 43 reaching through a, bracket 44 are adaptedto press upwardly against said arms, so that by adjustment of said screws the width of said gaps may be regulated.

By thus regulating the degree through which shaft 19 must .turn to close contacts 28, 29 I also regulate the de ee through which the master` compass carA and repeater motor 1 must turn 1n order to eect the closure of said contacts. By this means I may adjust the gaps inA these contacts so that all of the movement of the repeater motor caused by the hunting of the master compass card ma take lace without closing the contacts.` y additional movement, however, due to directive force of the gyroscope or to corrections will close said contacts and effect Vmovement; will reach the actuation of motor 5 and transmitter 42. In this way, all corrections made to the master compass and all directive movements thereof will be transmitted to the repeater instruments, while no part of the hunting t e repeaters.

If at any time the motor 5 should tend to lag behind the movement of cams 20, 21 the projection 35. is adapted to engage one of stops 35, 36 to stop wheel 18 so that presuming shaft 19 to be turning in a clockwise direction, cams 20, 21 may turn far enough to close contact 28 but not tar enough to close contact 29. The shaft 8 being now locked againstvurther rotation, the power ot' motor 1 will all be diverted through the differential gearing to motor 5 to help turn the same until it shall gather sufficient speed to return the cams toward their normal position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein 'described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus, which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the a paratus shown is only illustrative and that fille invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the variousvfeatures and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the vmore general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a relay transmitter, a repeater motor adapted to be controlled by movements of a sending instrument, a second motor, a cam, gearing di'erentially connected to said repeater motor, said second motor and said v cam, an electrical contact controlled by said cam, and electrical connections between said contact and said second motor for controlling the latter.

2., In a relay transmitter, a 'repeater motor adapted to be controlled by movements of a sending instrument, a second motor, a cam, gearing differentially connected to said repeater motor, said second motor, and said cam, an electrical 'contact controlled by said cam, electrical connections between said contact and said second motor for vcontrolling the 1atter, and electrical contacts adapted to be opened and closed lby said second motor.

3. In a rela a re eater motor, a second motor dilrential y connected thereto, electrical contacts differentially connected to both of said motorsV for actuation bv the turningof either or both thereof, sai second motor being controlled by said contacts connecte-d through said 'differential' as to return said contacts to normalposition and electrical transmitting means actuated by said second motor for transmitting to a .distance the movements of the relay.

t'In combination,l a repeater motor, a second motor, electrical contacts, gearing .dii'erentially interconnecting said motors and said contacts, said second motor being electrically'controlled by said contacts for turning in either direction dependent upon the lpositions of said contacts, a transmitter element .actuated by said second motor, said differential connections being such that said second motor when actuated returns said contacts to normal positions, and a' stop associated with said contacts forl limiting theactuation thereof, said differential connections 'being also such that when said sto operates said repeatermotor willtend to rive said second motor directly through said gearing. l

5. In combination, va driving motor, a 'drivenzmoton a cam, a differentialgearing connection between said motors andsaid cam, an electric contact actuated by. said cam, means for adjusting said contact to var the response thereof tomovements of sai cam, and. electric connections between said contactand said driven motor for controllirxgthe actuation thereof.

6. .he combination with a sending instrument subject to continuous oscillation of a small amplitude of a relay device comprising a repeater motor actuated from said instrument, acam actuated'thereby, an electric contact' actuated' b movement of said cam, and means for a justing said contact lto vary the degree of movement required of ject to continuous oscillations and a transmitter driven thereby, of a repeater motor in circuit with said transmitter, a pair of cams, make and break contacts operable thereby, said cams and contacts being relatively rotatable andthe design of the camsbeing such that slight relative oscillation may occur without changing the vexisting position of the contacts, a reversible motor actuated by said contacts, differential means connecting' said two motors, cams, and'contacts, and a transmitter, actuated by Said:

reversible motor.

9. The combination with a compassl subject to continuous oscillations and a transmitter driven thereby, of a repeater motor in 'circuit with said transmitter, a plurality of electric contacts relativelypositioned by said motor, a reversible motor actuated by said. contacts, means controlled by said reversible motor for position-ing said `cont-acts, and a lost motion connection between the repeater motor and said contacts,` whereby oscillation of the reversible motor is reduced or eliminated.

10. The combination with a compass subject to continuousoscillations and a trans-- mitter drlven thereby, of a repeater motor in circuit with said transmitter, a.plurality of electric contacts relatively positioned by said motor, a reversible motor actuated by said contacts, means controlled by said reversible motor for positioning said contacts, a lost motion connection between the re-V peater motor and" saidcontacts, whereby oscillation. of the reversible n'iotor is reduced or eliminated, and a transmitter actuated by said motor,j

11. The combination with ai sending instrument subjectto continuons .small amplitude oscillation, of a relay transmitting de vice comprising are i er motor adapted to be driven from said instrument,v a plurality of contact elements, a` power motor controlled therefrom, connections including a lost motion device between said motors Iand contactsand a transmitter driven by power motor for transmitting the movements of the sending instrument without the oscillations. v

In testimony whereof I hareA alxed my signature.

los.,

enmarca L. zoent. 

